


Haunted

by Morgan (morgan32)



Category: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Genre: Future-fic, M/M, PWP, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-08
Updated: 2009-03-08
Packaged: 2017-10-02 06:18:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgan32/pseuds/Morgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the twentieth century, an immortal Hercules has a ghostly visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haunted

#### Summer 1995

Even at night, the city was never still. Artificial light poured in through the open window, spilling across the face of the sleeping demigod. The constant hum of traffic was broken occasionally by a siren, these sounds mingling with the steady tick of the clock and the hum of the air-condtioning unit.

Air conditioning. The twentieth century did have its good points.

Hercules turned over restlessly in his sleep. The harsh, artificial light of the city illuminated the sheets of his bed; his bronzed body a silhouette in sharp relief against the whiteness. In his sleep, he reached up with one hand, brushing a lock of honey-brown hair away from his lips. Lips which parted slightly, forming the shape of a name.

Somewhere far below, a stereo blared out music, a rhythmic bass and loud drums. The music reached the sleeping demigod only faintly, but enough for him to hear it and for his subconscious to recognise, and remember the sound. A faint smile crossed his lips as memory became dream ...

 

_Loud rock music had been playing a few days before, coming from the bar across the street. Lying in a badly rumpled bed, half dozing with his lover in his arms, Hercules' hand drifted from his lover's waist, lower over the hard abs to caress his quiescent cock and balls. _

_His lover had opened his eyes with a groan. "Once more will kill me," he said._

_"I doubt it," Hercules told him with a smile. But he had taken the hint and rolled over to reach for a drink. He found the water glass empty. A quick glance at the nightstand told him he would just have to get up if he wanted a drink. It was then he registered the music coming from across the street. "What time is it?" he asked aloud._

_"About six." His lover told him, reaching for his watch. _

_Hercules watched the play of muscles beneath the tanned skin, his thoughts turning once again to sex. With a groan that wasn't even a little faked, he closed his eyes to the tempting sight as the sheet fell away, revealing the curve of his lover's delicious ass. "Have we really been in bed all day?"_

_"Uh-huh. Complaining?"_

_"No. But we should probably get up."_

_His lover laughed. "I've been trying to tell you that I *can't*!"_

_Hercules joined in his laughter, then grabbed both of his lover's hands and dragged them both into the shower._

 

... And in the way that dreams do, the sound of the shower, water beating against the plastic screen, transmuted into rainfall. Rain, beating against a timber roof, more than two thousand years before ...

 

_"Herc? Herc, are you in here?"_

_Hercules stayed where he was, silent, watching from the shadows of the barn as Iolaus peered around the door. Where else would he be? He had gotten sick of watching the hunter flirt with every female in the tavern and had slipped out, knowing it wouldn't be too long before Iolaus noticed his absence. The only thing he hadn't been sure of was whether his lover would come looking for him. Iolaus apparently decided to wait, as he entered the barn, closing the door behind him against the driving rain._

_The rain, loud on the roof of the barn, provided the perfect cover for Hercules as he left the shadows where he had been waiting. He couldn't normally move silently enough to sneak up on Iolaus, but the rain was doing him a favour this time. There was just enough light for him to see the hunter's silhouette: Iolaus was facing away from him, sat down on a convenient pile of straw._

_Hercules managed to get very close before Iolaus sensed his presence. The hunter whirled suddenly, striking out with his fist. Hercules blocked the blow easily enough, capturing Iolaus' fist in his larger hand and wrestling him to the ground._

_"Herc?" Iolaus began._

_That was the only word he managed as Hercules, the hunter's body pinned down beneath him, covered Iolaus' mouth with his own. He kept possession of his lover's lips as his hands stripped the clothes from his body. He paused in the task as he opened the codpiece, allowing Iolaus' already hard cock to thrust into his hands._

_Hercules chuckled at his lover's eagerness. Iolaus might flirt with every woman in town, but there was only one person he ever wanted like this. Hercules broke the kiss long enough to murmer, "Patience, love."_

 

_... "Patience, my love. I'll get there when **I'm** ready."_

_Hercules groaned in frustration as his lover's mouth returned to his neck, tormenting him with tongue and teeth. He forced himself to relax his grip on the dark hair, knowing that his lover was quite capable of leaving him unsatisfied if he tried to rush him._

_He heard his lover's soft laughter as his convulsive grip loosened. Had Hercules been capable of coherent thought right then he would have been plotting revenge. As it was, all he could do was submit, his voice reduced to a hoarse sigh._

_Ah, gods, I love you ..._

 

The sheet tangled in his long legs, discomfort bringing him toward wakefulness. Still half in a dream, he reached out across the bed, searching for the lover he knew would not be there.

His hand encountered warm flesh.

Startled, Hercules opened his eyes. It wasn't that he particularly wanted to sleep alone. It was just that he was sure he had been. Yet the shape of a man's body in the bed beside him was familiar. As he watched, dazed, the tousled blond head raised. Blue eyes opened. Lips Hercules hadn't seen for centuries parted in a heartbreakingly familiar grin.

"Hi, Herc."

He must be dreaming. Hercules knew he must. But he didn't care.

"Iolaus?" he breathed. "Gods ... are you real?"

A chuckle. "Try me."

He reached out again, tentatively, afraid that when he touched that phantom flesh it would dissolve into nothing, knowing if it did he would wake in tears. But as his fingers made contact with Iolaus' cheek, it was solid. Rough and unshaven. Warm. Fingertips traced a pattern over the hunter's cheekbone, a thumb passed lightly across his lips. Then the hand stole back, into his hair, sifting through the blond curls. Hercules' breath was loud in the room, his eyes wide with wonder and bright with tears. He pulled the other man toward him and locked their mouths together in a kiss.

Oh, gods, he had forgotten how intense this could be. Iolaus' moan was muffled as their lips parted and tongues touched. The taste of him, gods, so sweet, so perfect. The feel of the hunter's hard body against his own, the arms moving to surround him. The pressure as Iolaus sucked on his tongue. Another sort of pressure as blood rushed into his loins.

_I don't care if it's a dream, I'm not gonna stop, stay here forever with you ..._

A new sensation: Iolaus'hand flat against his chest, gently but firmly pushing him away.

With painful reluctance, Hercules broke the kiss. He held Iolaus close to him, though, determined not to let him go. "You ... you taste real," he whispered.

Iolaus looked up at the demigod, his eyes a little darker than before. "I'm really here, Herc. Well ... more or less."

"How ... ?"

"You needed me. I nagged Hades until he agreed to let me pay a visit." Iolaus giggled: the old, familiar laugh tore at Hercules' heart. "He said if I wouldn't leave him alone he'd drown me in the Lethe and make me take reincarnation. But I persuaded him this would be easier."

Hercules frowned. "Reincarnation? You mean you could come back? You could live again?"

Iolaus nodded. "I think that's the general idea, yeah."

"But why would you turn that down, Iolaus? You always loved life so much." A stray lock of hair on Iolaus' forehead caught his eye. Lovingly, Hercules smoothed it back, then leaned close to kiss the place where it had been. He didn't much care about the answers. All that mattered to him was that Iolaus was here.

Iolaus turned his head slightly, drawing Hercules' kisses toward his lips again. "Yeah, I did," he agreed. "But they make you forget your past lives — did you know that? I don't want to forget you, Herc. I'd ... mmm, Herc... I'd rather hang out in the Elysian Fields where ... oh ... mmm ... at least I can keep an eye on you." Anything else he might have said was lost as Hercules thrust his tongue into Iolaus' mouth, rolling over to cover his body.

Hercules' full cock pressed against his lover's belly and Iolaus pushed his leg between Hercules' parted thighs, rocking gently, rubbing the demigod's balls against his knee. Hercules' arms tightened around him, the kiss becoming deeper, more insistent.

"Gods, Iolaus ... I miss you so much ... "

Tears fell from the demigod's closed eyes, to leave searing trails across Iolaus' cheeks, soaking into his hair. His own throat tightening in response, Iolaus surrendered to his lover's need. Had he ever believed he could resist?

Freeing one hand, he ran his fingers down Hercules' arm, memorising again the feel of the muscles beneath the skin, the near-electric sense of power so unique to Hercules. Fingers gently entwined with the demigod's; Iolaus guided Hercules' touch between their bodies, over his flat stomach and lower still.

Hercules got the idea quickly. His hand encircled the hunter's cock, stroking the hard shaft slowly. He heard Ioalus' moan and caught his breath, fresh tears springing into his eyes. Gods, he had missed this. Every touch, every sound was a memory. His mouth closed over Iolaus' right nipple, sucking hard, deliberately bruising the flesh, marking him. As the nipple hardened Hercules bit down, carful not to hurt, not to break the skin.

"Ah, gods, Herc ... " Iolaus arched toward his touch, his eyes closed tightly, his lips parted and inviting.

And suddenly it was impossible to wait any longer. Hercules reached across the hunter's body, rummaging on the nightstand for the tube of lubricant kept there. He twisted the cap off and let it fall, squeezing a generous amount into his hand. For a moment he paused. This stuff was here because there was someone in his life. Someone ...

He pushed the thought aside, rubbing the lube into his cock and reaching for Iolaus once again. His golden lover responded eagerly as Hercules pushed one finger into his anus.

"Hercules ... " he groaned. The muscles of his body tightened around Hercules' finger. But he pushed back against the demigod's hand, striving for more. Hercules leaned forward and kissed him, as a second finger joined the first. Moving, stroking, within Iolaus' body. Sharing breath, sharing taste.

Iolaus breathed, "Herc, now!" and Hercules, as eager as his lover, withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his cock as Iolaus lifted his legs to the demigod's shoulders. Hercules thrust into him quickly, past the point where gentleness was possible. It didn't seem to matter. Iolaus' cry as Hercules filled him was not one of pain.

The tight heat of his lover's body embracing him, Hercules was not even aware of the tears streaming down his face. This was home. This made him complete, made them both complete. He plundered his lover's ass with his thrusts, and Iolaus' voice urged him on, more, Herc, oh, gods, harder, please, oh, Herc ...

Close to orgasm, Hercules grasped his lover's cock again, pumping furiously in time with his increasingly frantic thrusts. The sounds of the city faded away. There was nothing in the world but this: this bed, his Iolaus, their desperate coupling, their love, their need.

He felt the gathering in his own balls as the hunter's muscles tightened convulsively around him. The hot splash of Iolaus' seed over his hand and belly was all he needed to trigger his own climax and he shouted his joy aloud as it came, his essence filling his lover.

Hercules collapsed forward over Iolaus' body, for an instant exhausted. His face pressed into his lover's chest, he heard the wild heartbeat, the evidence of life. As awareness returned, so did grief.

"Iolaus?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you here?"

Iolaus squirmed beneath him and Hercules lifted himself up withdrawing from Iolaus' body. He hated to lose that contact between them.

Iolaus sat up, then swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Herc, I told you. You needed me."

Hercules frowned.

Iolaus shrugged. "You remember that old saying, the dead can hear your thoughts? It's true, buddy. This man you fell in love with ... " He broke off as Hercules turned away.

There was a familiar tension in the demigod's shoulders. "Hey, Herc, it's okay. I've been dead for what, twenty four centuries now? Wouldn't it be pretty unreasonable of me to expect you not to find someone else?"

Hercules shook his head, turning back to face Iolaus. "He's not someone else. No one can ever replace you."

Iolaus reached up to gently stroke Hercules' tear-stained cheek. "Replace me? Did I say that?" There was no response from Hercules, to the words or to the caress. Iolaus' blue eyes dimmed; he looked unhappy. He sighed heavily. "Herc, it's taken you this long to let another man into your life. I don't want you to spend the next two thousand years feeling guilty for ... "

Hercules started to interrupt, "I'm not feeling — "

"Herc, come on. I *know* you, and every time you think about me I can hear you. I know what you've been feeling."

Hercules drew him close then, kissing him briefly. "Everything I am, Iolaus, I owe to you." His eyes held Iolaus' as he continued. "When we were together, I learned what love really is. You were ... are ... everything to me. And losing you ... "

Iolaus' fingers covered his lips. "I know," he answered softly. "But we always knew I wasn't immortal. And you've got to remember the rest, Herc. We never went a day without arguing, nearly every week we'd come to blows." He grinned wickedly, adding, "Of course, you used to do that deliberately 'cause making up was so much fun."

Hercules smiled sadly. "I remember."

"What I'm saying is, it wasn't perfect, Hercules. And letting yourself love someone else can't take anything away from what we were."

Hercules kissed him again, parting his lips to allow Iolaus access to his mouth. Iolaus accepted the invitation, one hand straying to touch Hercules' hardening cock. "And that's another thing," he said between kisses.

Hercules drew away from him, his eyes questioning.

Iolaus grinned. "Celibacy doesn't suit you, Herc. This — " He began to stroke Hercules' shaft with his hand, " — is something you ought to share." Without warning, he bent to take it into his mouth.

A sound, somewhere between a gasp and a moan, escaped Hercules' lips as he felt the heat of Iolaus' mouth surround him. Never releasing the demigod's cock, Iolaus shifted carefully off the bed and onto his knees. He moved his lips as far down Hercules' thick shaft as he could, creating a firm suction as he drew back, massaging the smooth underside with his tongue. Then he drew away, glancing up at Hercules with shining eyes. Hercules' look begged him to continue, and Iolaus took his lover's cock into his hand, rubbing gently while he licked the head with long strokes. He bent his head lower, and his tongue worked its magic on the soft, sensitive sac of Hercules' scrotum.

"Gods ... Iolaus ... " Hercules, unable to help himself, lay back on the bed, parting his legs further to allow Iolaus access to his body. As he did, he felt the hunter's mouth close over his cock again, this time somehow taking in his entire length. Hercules reached for his hair, beginning to thrust gently into Iolaus' throat.

Iolaus groaned, the sound translating into a delicious vibration around the cock he was sucking. He slid his free hand beneath the demigod's body and pushed into his tight opening as he continued to suck. Hercules tightened his grip in the hunter's hair, his thrusts becoming deeper, more insistent. He tried, he really did try to hold back, to stay in control.

Then Iolaus' finger brushed his prostate and Hercules was lost.

He thrust wildly into the hunter's hot mouth, only dimly aware of Iolaus relaxing his throat to accommodate him. Iolaus' fingers still moved within him, touching his prostate again and again, sending waves of pleasure through his body. The waves crested within him and Hercules was aware that he was shouting his lover's name as he bucked, finally pouring his seed into Iolaus' throat. Iolaus swallowed everything Hercules could give, his fingers penetrating the demigod's ass. Hercules cried out again; the sensation was almost a second orgasm. He heard his own breath, harsh in the silent room, and Iolaus finally released his softening member.

It was a struggle to sit up again; the orgasm had left him drained. But Hercules managed it and pulled Iolaus up to join him on the bed. They kissed deeply. Hercules drew the hunter's body into his arms, curling around him like a cat. For several minutes, neither man spoke. Hercules' hand strayed to Iolaus' groin, discovering his erection and massaging it gently. But the caresses were designed to stimulate only, not to bring him to orgasm.

"How long do we have?" Hercules asked finally. Reluctantly.

"I don't know. When's sunrise?"

Hercules buried his face in the curve of Iolaus' neck, kissing his back and shoulders, finding his earlobe with his lips and drawing it into his mouth, biting down gently on the flesh. "I can't let you go. Not again."

Iolaus twisted in the demigod's embrace, turning to face him. "You can. You will. Trust me on this one, okay? Tomorrow morning this will have been a dream and you'll go back to your lover."

"No ... "

"'Fraid so, Herc. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe that. I came to wish you well, not to ruin your life."

"But ... " Hercules began.

"You *love* him, Herc. And he's good for you. I want you to be happy."

Now Hercules was crying again. What had he ever done to deserve such generosity? He gathered the hunter close to him gratefully, feeling Iolaus' strong arms surrounding him as he finally gave in to two thousand years of grief. Eventually, the tears dried up and Hercules was able to look up again.

"Iolaus ... "

"Hm?"

"I don't want this to be a dream. Make it real for me, love." Hercules saw Iolaus frown, and smiled back, realising with amusement that Iolaus didn't know what he was asking. He leaned close for a deep, loving kiss. "C'mon, Iolaus, it hasn't been *that* long, surely?" More kisses, and a touch intended to arouse again. "I want you to take me, Iolaus. Then when I wake and you're not here, I'll know this night was real."

"But ... "

"I don't want to spend the next thousand years haunted by a dream."

Iolaus smiled gently. "Well," he began. The smile became a teasing grin. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd beg me for it." He stroked Hercules' broad chest with one hand, rubbing his fingers through the lightly curled hair, his palm coming to rest over Hercules' heart. He looked down, seeing Hercules' cock rise in response to his touch.

He reached above his head for a pillow. Hercules, guessing his intention, lifted himself up so Iolaus could stuff the pillow beneath his hips. Iolaus picked up the tube of lubricant and, kneeling between Hercules' wide-spread thighs, he smiled down at his lover.

"What is this stuff?" he asked, waving the tube.

"It's a lubricant. For ... well, exactly what you're about to use it for."

Iolaus giggled. "Really? You can just buy this stuff?" Hercules nodded and Iolaus added, "I could get to like this century." It didn't take the hunter long to figure out how to get the contents out of the tube. He spread a generous amount on himself, then coated his hands. He wanted to draw this out, to make it last as long as possible, but a furtive glance at the window told him there was no time for that. The sky was lightening, from black to deep indigo: the onset of dawn.

Iolaus began to prepare Hercules, being as gentle as haste would allow. Hercules hadn't noticed that time was running out. Nevertheless, by the time Iolaus was ready, the demigod was pushing back against his hand, his eyes begging for more. Thrusting three fingers into Hercules' ass, Iolaus felt the heat of Hercules' body surrounding him. Gods, it had been so long ...

"Ready, Herc?"

"Yes!"

He grasped Hercules' hips. lifting him slightly. Iolaus' cock found its way easily to the tight opening behind Hercules' scrotum. He entered him quickly and, feeling Hercules' muscles tense around him he paused, waiting for Hercules to get used to the invasion. The tightness of Hercules' anus surprised him; surely Herc had done this recently? Being patient was torture. Iolaus ran his fingers lightly over Hercules' cock, teasing the weeping head until he felt Hercules relax.

Able to move, Iolaus didn't — couldn't — hold back. He thrust hard into his lover, centuries of denied need driving him on. They both knew Hercules didn't want gentleness. He wanted this to hurt, to leave a mark. He wanted his body to remember Iolaus' cock inside him.

The demigod's hoarse cries urged him on. Iolaus rode his lover, one hand braced on the bed, the other still stroking Hercules' cock, milking the orgasm from him. He felt Hercules' muscles tighten as he came, crying out Iolaus' name. And Iolaus continued to pound into him, still pumping Hercules' spent cock, until his own orgasm overwhelmed him.

As Iolaus withdrew from him, Hercules pulled the hunter into his arms. As he did so, he glanced over to the window and saw the lightening sky; the beginning of the dawn. His embrace tightened possessively and Iolaus smiled up at him, not speaking.

Hercules wanted to stay awake, to savour every second he had left with Iolaus. But the night's exertions had tired him and sleep refused to be fought off. He closed his eyes, resting his cheek against Iolaus' golden hair, telling himself he would just rest his eyes for a few seconds, just a few seconds ...

Sleep claimed him as the first rays of the sun shone through the open window.

***

The harsh buzz of the alarm cut through the haze of sleep to wake him. Hercules groaned, reaching out with one hand to silence the alarm. As he sat up, he flipped the radio on.

Why was he so tired? He'd had an early night ... hadn't he?

He brushed his tangled hair out of his eyes and turned the volume up. A woman's voice came from the radio, an old love song he barely recognised.

_Why does my heart go on beating?  
Why do these eyes of mine cry?  
Don't they know it's the end of the world?  
It ended when you said goodbye._

Irritated for no good reason, Hercules snapped the radio off. As he did so, he caught sight of the open tube of lubricant on the nightstand.

A frown crossed his face and he reached out to pick up the lube. What was this doing open when he was sleeping alone?

Celibacy doesn't suit you, Herc.

Tomorrow morning this will have been a dream ...

"Iolaus?" he whispered.

For several minutes the demigod sat there, on the edge of his bed. his head filling with memories. Eventually, he opened a drawer, placed the tube inside and slid it closed. Then he got up and headed for the bathroom.

It was the start of a new day.


End file.
